2. analog
  3. 1307158544

Can bad LPs damage good cartridges?

Just getting back into analog after an absence of many years. Got tired of seeing all those albums sitting on the shelves, plus my wife has a collection I've never heard. So I bought a Harman Kardon T-60 in like-new condition and a Forte FP1 phono stage, and now I have a Denon DL-110 cartridge on the way.

Then I started thinking ... should I use a brand new cartridge with worn, old records that were used with cheap needles and undoubtedly were slung onto the carpet, in stacks, at least a couple times?

I plan to ask for a Spin Clean Record Washer Mk II for Father's Day, so at least I'll have something to get some of the gunk out of the grooves.

But what about using the new cartridge with old LPs. Will I be risking damage?
paxpaul
rodman99999
6,132 posts
 
If the records have dirt melted into the groove walls(what happens when vinyl is played without cleaning); it will act as an abrasive, on the new stylus.
paxpaul OP
1 posts
 
Thanks, Rodman99999. I hadn't thought of that. Still, the stylus is made of an incredibly hard metal, and dirt is ... what? Dust? Carbon? Is it your opinion that a new stylus exposed to dirty records would wear faster than normal? In the end, the cartridge I plan to use costs "only" $140.
daverz
487 posts
 
I suspect a record that would actually wear more on the stylus would be pretty unpleasant to listen to all the way through. This should be a natural deterrent to playing anything that could possibly cause damage.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
It's actually mutual between bad styli and bad record.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
No. Most noise is coming from older records which have grove damage based on defect cartridge or too high VTF. Scratches aren't normally that deep that they reach the ground. A lot of distortions are based on dirt in the grooves, most can be removed with cleaning. Don't worry.
More to discover